1. Select and describe an Advanced Nurse Practitioner role.
2. Why are you becoming a Nurse Practitioner?
3. Find one research article, expert opinion about the Nurse Practitioner role and summarize the article.
4. What does the Institute Of Medicine (IOM) say about the need of Nurse Practitioners?
5. Identify and describe the effects that you will have as an advanced practice nurse in terms of healthcare industry and patient outcomes.
Key responsibilities of the FNP include:
Assessing patients.
Ordering, performing, supervising, and interpreting diagnostic and laboratory tests.
Making diagnoses.
Initiating and managing treatment, including prescribing medication and non-pharmacologic treatments (AANP, 2021).
Coordinating care, counseling, and educating patients and their families.
In essence, the FNP acts as a primary care provider, providing patient-centered care and utilizing evidence-based practice to ensure high-quality care (Doody et al., 2025).
My decision to become a Nurse Practitioner is rooted in a desire to expand my scope of practice to a level that allows for a more holistic, autonomous, and comprehensive approach to patient care.
As a Registered Nurse, I have cultivated a strong foundation in patient advocacy, education, and disease management at the bedside. However, I seek the expanded authority to diagnose, treat, and manage complex, undifferentiated problems that is fundamental to the NP role (Fairhurst, 2017). I am drawn to the NP's ability to bridge the gap between medical and nursing care and take on a more influential leadership position within multidisciplinary teams (Doody et al., 2025).
My motivation is threefold:
Directly Impacting Outcomes: I want the ability to order and interpret diagnostics and initiate and adjust treatments to streamline care and prevent avoidable complications.
Addressing Healthcare Gaps: NPs are vital in meeting the growing need for primary care providers, particularly in underserved or rural areas (AANP, 2021). I am committed to contributing to a robust healthcare workforce.
Holistic Care Philosophy: I believe the NP role, which blends the medical model of diagnosis and treatment with the nursing model of patient education and disease prevention, is the optimal way to deliver patient-centered care (van Dusseldorp et al., 2018).
I will select the Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) role.
The Family Nurse Practitioner is an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) who has achieved at least a Master's degree in nursing and national certification in the family/individual across the lifespan population focus (AANP, 2021). The FNP's role is not setting-specific but focused on the needs of the patient, allowing them to practice in various settings from primary care clinics and hospitals to schools and private practices (AANP, 2021).
FNPs integrate clinical expertise in diagnosing and treating acute and chronic health conditions with a strong emphasis on disease prevention and health management (AANP, 2021).